BOSTON, Mass. - A Haverhill man was convicted today in federal court on child pornography charges.

STANLEY R. MACKINNON, 66, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Rya W. Zobel to receipt and possession of child pornography.

Had the case proceeded to trial the Government’s evidence would have proven that MACKINNON ordered and received, through the mail, five child pornography DVD movies. He also possessed magazines and Polaroid photographs which contained visual depictions of minors under the age of 18 years engaging in sexually explicit conduct. In an interview with law enforcement, MACKINNON stated he ordered the DVDs and further admitted to sexually abusing several children in his home in the 1980's and taking Polaroid pictures of those minors. The charges against MACKINNON were the result of an ongoing national investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service of individuals who purchase child pornography via U.S. mail.

Judge Zobel scheduled sentencing for June 16, 2011. MACKINNON faces up to 20 years in prison for receipt of child pornography and up to 10 years imprisonment for possession of child pornography, to be followed by up to lifetime supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Robert Bethel, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement today. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Haverhill Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Yoon of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit, and Trial Attorney Bonnie Kane of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation & Obscenity Section.

This case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

 

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